House car



F. DITCHFIELD 2,003,040

HOUSE CAR Filed Sept. 9, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l May 28, 1935.

MN NJN May 28, 1935. F. DITCHFIELD 2,003,040`

HOUSE CAR Filed sept. 9, 1953 5 sheetsshet 2 May 2.8, 1935. F. DITCHFIELD HOUSE CAR Filed 56PM 9. 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 28, 1935. F. DITCHFIELD 2,003,040 I HOUSE CAR Filed sept.v 9, 1953 5 sheets-sheet 4 m M O O o o @M O w Okwwo O O o o o of J M llllllll. III! |II. l l I I l l l l I l I l I I I l I l l l I l| |l III HN@ ||||o| w n ^w +.w |n HMHulwNlllWMhwHlllhHHWHhNHnmnunwu umv|wf-aw 1|n||. d r o FQ@ Q M O ||i .oo hun, o T L LIIIIII- w |\I I G O ||l4 O OOnaflhn-w www Nw: O www \\\\\M O O. O O G Qj O 0 o o Q o o M, lil WLwH ||lwwuwlnwwwlrlhmnMNHNl l--- w iol 3 3 1@ i011?! Il MILL. 1, t i. b@ @El o o o @M rn wwmm ,KN -Ilwmh wm 0 0. 0 0 0 0 0 0 o nv O.,J@|\||-. -w1--.Ollwliwlll E -bl-- May 28, 1935. F. DITCHFIELD 5V Sheets-Sheet 5 Egg/ il/lil HOUSE CAR Filed sept. 9, 1953 Patented May 28, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOUSE CAR Frank Dtchield, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland', 0hio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 9, 1933, Serial No. 688,737

14 caims.

carsare now in operation on railroads. Cars of this type comprise a steel underframe including channel side sills; steel side plates, usually angles or Z bars; pressed steel side posts and diagonal braces; Lsheet metal ends; and wood side wall sheathing applied to the inner sides of the posts and braces. As is also well known to those skilled in the art, the wood sheathing after a time permits leakage due to the shrinkage of the boards, the driving of nails therethru for the purpose of fastening the lading, and abuse-particularly at the rear of the door resulting from the use of pinch bars in forcing doors into closed position. As is also well known, there is a constant demand for all metal cars on account of their greater durability, strength and lesser maintenance costs. Railroad oiiicials are, therefore, confronted with the problem of determining whether or not to try and keep in repair the present single wood sheathed cars by renewing the wood sheathing with the attendant expense and frequently recurring-repair bills sure tov follow or to provide an all metal car with steel sheathing possessing greater strength, rigidity and freedom from leakage. To replace the entire superstructure of such box cars would entail relatively great expense and would result in loss of the metal members of the present superstructure which are still entirely usable. Obviously, therefore, it is to the great advantage of the railroads to convert such single wood sheathed cars to all metal or steel sheathed cars and to reuse or salvage those parts of the present superstructure in the converted arrangement to thereby minimize the expense of conversion and at the same time provide a more satisfactory car.

One object oi.' this invention, therefore, is to provide a metal sheathed box car or other type of house car that may readily be converted from a wood single sheathed box car wherein all of the originalmetal underframe, metal ends, `side plates and side posts may be retained and reused to thereby minimize the cost of conversion in obtaining an all metal car and, further, to so reutilize the side yposts and side plates that the same may remain undisturbed in their present condition, thereby to still further minimize the cost of conversion. e

` Another object of the invention is to provide a metal sheathed car of the character indicated in the preceding paragraph wherein the arrangement of the converted car utilizes the sheet metal side wall sheathing in commotion with the side plates and side sills as true load-carrying girders.

Other objects ofthe inventionwill more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming apart of this application, Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a car embodying the improvements, the portion of the car shown being from the usual side door opening 10 to the end of the car, parts being broken out to better accommodate the view on the sheet. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, upon an enlarged scale, corresponding to the section line 2--2 of Figure l, parts likewise being broken out to bet- 15 ter accommodate the view on the sheet. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2. corresponding to Vthe section line 3-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding to the section 1 ine 4-4 of Figure 2. Figures 5, 6 and 7 20 are horizontal sectional views corresponding respectively to the section lines 5-5, 6 6 and 1--1 of Figure 1. Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view similar to the upper portion of Figure 3 illustrating another embodiment of the invention. Fig- 25 ures 9 and l0 are views similar to Figure 8 but taken at diiferent positions lengthwise of the car, Figure 9 being between the door post and rst intermediate side post and Figure 10 being between the last intermediate side post and car end. Fig- 30 trating still another modification of the invention, Figure 13 corresponding to the section line |3-l3 of Figure 12. Figure 14 is a vertical, sectional view corresponding to the line M-il of Figure 12. Figure 15 is a side elevational view of the structure at the top of one of the door posts,

the upper flange of the side plate and door hood Vbeing in vertical section to expose the structural features of the cap and other parts at the top of the door post. Figures 16 and 17 are detailed,

horizontal sectional views corresponding to the lines iii-I6 and I'l-I'l respectively, of Figure 12. And Figure 18 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding to the line` IB- I8 of Figure 15.

- Although only approximately one half of one side wall of the car is shown in the drawings, it

In the drawings and referring first to the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, A indicates one of the cross members of the steel underframe; B one of the channel side sills; C one of the special angle side plates; and D one of the pressed intermediate steel side posts. The parts referred to are the same as those now present in the U. S. R. A. standard single sheathed box car and, in carrying out the present invention, are left intact. As will be understood, minor variations as to certain parts may occur in other single sheathed box cars but essentially the one chosen for illustration is fairly representative of the class or type of car with which the present invention is concerned.

The pressed diagonal braces of the single sheathed car are omitted in carrying out the present invention since they are rendered unnecessary in the converted form. The usual Z- bar side door posts E are also reused but, on account of the sheet metal sheathing being applied to the outer sides of the posts, as hereinafter described, it becomes necessary to hang the usual side door in a plane somewhat farther out than in the present single wood sheathed car, by reason of which each door post E is, therefore, outwardly oifset with respect to its original position. This is carried out by employing a combined ller and attaching plate I2 of angular cross section riveted to the depending iiange I3 of the side plate, as indicated at I4 and to the web of the side post E at the top, as indicated at I5. Similarly, at the bottom, a plate filler I6 is interposed between the door post E and the side sill B and riveted to both as by the rivets I1. Also, on account of the relocation of the plane of the door, the track I8 is correspondingly outwardly offset by interposing fillers I9 between the track and each of the usual track supporting brackets 80. that are in turn riveted to the side sill. By thus offsetting the door posts and track, the door moves in a plane such that the usual spark and weather strip on the rear edge thereof'will clear the metal sheathing and rivets, as will be apparent.

Referring to the side plate C, each is of special angular form having a relatively deep depending vertical flange 20 and an upper, narrower slightly downwardly and outwardly inclined flange 2|. Running along the top of the flange 2I is a weather or facia strip 22 having an upstanding iiange 23 to which the outer anged edges of the roof sheets 24 are riveted and, at each point where a carline 25 occurs, the downturned end of the latter is also riveted to the strip 22 through the roof sheet and to a bracing plate 26 that is extended down and also riveted to the side plate C, as indicated at 21.

Each of the intermediate side posts D in the standard single sheathed car shown in the drawings, is of special pressed form, the section thereof being U-shaped or bath tub, as best shown in Figure 6, with lateral flanges 28-28, the U or bath tub section being of maximum depth at intermediate points of the post, as indicated at 29 and extending vertically, the section thenV gradually tapering off upwardly, as indicated at 30, and finally disappearing so as to merge with the flanges 28 at the top as indicated at 3|. Similarly, the bottom is tapered and of gradually decreasing depth, as indicated at 32, and ultimately disappears and merges with the iangesl 23 at the bottom, as indicated at 33, it being understood that the posts are riveted at their top and bottom to the side plate and side sill througlh the iianges 23-28 and end portions 32 and The sheet metal sheathing, designated generally by the reference character F, comprises a series of panels each of the full height of the sheathing and of a length extending between posts and between post and end wall, as indicated at 34 and 35. Said sheathing is maintained throughout in a vertical plane and riveted to the vertical intermediate sections of the intermediate posts D, as indicated at 36-36, and is thence extended upwardly and downwardly in spaced relation to the tapered upper and lower ends of said intermediate posts, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The panels are preferably lapped adjacent each intermediate post, as indicated at 31, and to secure an exceptionally rigid attachment to the intermediate posts and also to brace the lapped joint throughout the entire height of the sheathing, angles 38 are employed, each of which has one flange riveted through the lapped joint and the other flange riveted through a side wall of the section of the post, as by the rivets Iig-39. The vertical edge of the panel 34 adjacent the door opening, is secured to the Z bar door post E by an angle 4U, one flange of which is riveted to the web of the post, as indicated at 4I, and the other iiange of which is lapped under and riveted to the panel, as indicated at 42.

At the corner of the car, the end panel 35 is attached to the metal end Wall G of the car (the latter being also a part of the standard single sheathed box car and left intact) by the following special arrangement. A special Z-sectioned plate 43 is used, the outer flange 44 of which is lapped under and riveted to the adjacent vertical edge of the panel. as by the series of rivets 45. 4The other iiange 46 of the Z plate, for the major portion of its height, is lapped under the vertical side flange 41 of the end wall as shown by the section in full lines in Figure 7. Near the top, said flange 46 is slit, as indicated at 48 in Figure 1, and the portion above the slit is lapped on the outside of the end wall iiange 41, as indicated by the dotted lines |46 in Figure '7 and as shown by the full lines by the .same reference character in Figure 1. The small opening due to the slitting and arrangement described as indicated at v49 in Figure 7, will preferably be iilled by welding. With this arrangement, it is evident that no changes are required in the usual metal end wall, notwithstanding that the metal sheathing is located in a diiferent plane from the original wood sheathing.

To unite the upper horizontal edge of the sheathing to the side plate, a specially formed side plate hood attachment 5I) is employed, the same having an upper ange 5I riveted to the i'ndersidepf the side plate flange 2| as by rivets V52, an inner vertical section 53, an outwardly and slightly inclined section r54 and an outer depending vertical nange 55, the latter overlapping the sheathing and riveted thereto by the series of rivets 56.` With this construction, it will be noted that the attaching rivets 52 are located on the outside of the car so as to avoid leakage to the interior. Said attachment hood 5 as will be understood and as shown best in l gure 1, extends the full length of the car and, y"at each end, is closed off and connected to the vertical Z member 43 and end wall by a more or less rectangular cap 51. l

To rigidly unite the lower horizontaledge of the sheathing vto the side sill, a Z bar 58 is employed, the same extending from each door post E to a point adjacent the corner of the car, as

fis'

indicated in Figure 1. Said Z bar 58 is disposed with its web horizontal and its inner flange 59 extended downwardly and riveted to the web of the side sill. The outer ange ispextended vertically upward, as indicated at 60, and underlaps the sheathing to which it is riveted by the horizontal series of rivets 6| As best shown in Figures 2 and 3, each of the sheathing attaching angles 38 and 40 will be suitably offset, as indicated at |38 and |40 where said angles are extended down over said upstanding flange 60.

In order to allow of attachment of the Z bar 58 as shown, said Z bar is necessarily coped where it passes each of the intermediate posts, as indicated at 62 in Figure 4, and in order to allow for slight variations in the positions of the intermediate posts and to seal the cope openings, special castings 63 are preferably employed each having bottom horizontal flanges 64--64 riveted to the web of the Z-bar and an upstanding flange 65 conforming to the contour of the post at the tapered section thereof and snugly fitting the post, as clearly indicated in Figure 4.

With the construction so far described, it is evident that the sheathing is securely united along both its top and bottom edges to the side plate and side sill as well as to the side posts, thus 4providing a strong girder formation suitable for carrying and distributing the load.

Intermediate the door posts, a threshold supporting angle 66 is employed, the same being riveted to the side sill and having vits upper ange preferably flush with the top flange of the sill. In this connection, it will be noted that the web of the bottom Z-bar 58 is disposed slightly above the top of the side sill so that floor boards 61 may be employed of lesser thickness than heretofore without, however, changing the distance of the floor above the track. As will be obvious, the outer ends of the floor boards are supported on the web of the bottom Z-bar 58 and to provide additional support a longitudinally extending offset plate 68 is, riveted to the top flange of the side sill and bolted to the floor boards, as indicated in Figure 2. Between the door posts, a filler 69 is interposed between the angle 66 and the projecting ends-of the floor boards to provide the necessary support at the threshold. Extending over.the ldoor opening and to one side thereof is the usual dc )r guiding and retaining strip of Z section, as indicated at 'i0 in Figure 4, which strip is riveted to the depending flange 55 of the attachment hood 50, and which, together with said hood 50, serves to fully cover and weather seal the tops of the door post arrangement.

To provide for the customary inner wood lining of thecar, wood nailing strips '|5 are seated within the intermediate posts and secured therein by special rivet bolts 1| extended through and riveted over the sheathing, as shown in Figure 6. The wood lining 12 is then nailed to the' fillers and to the usual door post filler, which is omitted from the drawings for the sake of clarity. Shedding strips 'I3 along the floor line are also preferably employed between the posts as shown in Figure 2. Y

Referring next to the construction illustrated in Figures 8, 9, and 11, the arrangement of side plate C, intermediate side posts D, door postsand bottom edge attachment of the sheathing' to the side sill remains the same as in the flrst described construction. In this form of the invention, however, the sheathing, instead of being extended vertically to the side plate, is sloped upwardly and inwardly to conform to the upper slope or taper of the side posts, as indicated at |30. Also in this form, as shown in Figure 11, the lap joints of the panels are made over the intermediate posts and rivets secured through the lap joints and the posts as indicated at |31. At the door post, the attaching angle is inclined at its upper end to conform to the slope of the sheathing and intermediate posts, as indicated at 240 in Figure 8. The upper end of each"door post is attached to the side plate by a combined spacing and anchoring plate ||2, which is conformed to llt the hood attachment plate hereinafter described so as to provide a weather seal joint, as clearly shown in Figure 8.

The attachment of the upper edge of the sheathing to the side plate is accomplished by means of longitudinally alined, side plate attachment hoods |50 and 250.v The former extends over the door opening and to one side for a distance corresponding to the opening movement of the door and from either end thereof to the corresponding ends of the car are the attachment hoods 250, the latter being of substantially angular cross section, as shown in Figure 10. The attachment hood |50 is of the same general cross section as the corresponding attachment hood 50 of the flrst described form and has secured to its outer depending flange a Z-section upper guide |10 for the door. The upper edge of the sheathing is riveted to the inner downwardly extending sections |53 and 253 of the hood attachments |50 and 250 which, in the form being described, are sloped to correspond with the slope of the sheathing, as best shown in Figures 9 and 10. Intermediate the door post and the end of the hood attachment |50, the latter and the sheathing are braced by short spacers 90 and 9| extending between the side plate and sheathing and between the sheathing and the depending ange of the hood attachment, respectively, a through rivet 92 being employed, as shown, said spacers being flanged at their opposed ends and also riveted to the sheathing, as indicated at 93. At other points along the car side where the hood attachment 250 shown in Figure 10 is used, similar spacers 94 are employed as indicated in Figure 10.

In Figure l1 is illustrated another means of providing for attachment of the inner wood lining, this arrangement employing a nailing strip 95 extending lengthwise of each intermediate post and bridging the mouth thereof and secured to the flanges of the same by carriage bolts 96, the wood lining |12 in turn being nailed to the nailing board, as shown.

Referring next to the modication shown in Figures 12 to 18 inclusive, the arrangement of side plate C, intermediate posts D, end wall G and bottom edge attachment of the sheathing to the side sill is the same as in the previously described modiflcations. In the present modification, however, t-he sheathing, which is applied to the outer sides of the intermediate posts D as before, is extended vertically upward from the lower Z member 358 and riveted to the vertical portions of the intermediate posts and is thence continued upwardly and inwardly as indicated at 330 to conform to the upper tapered portions of the intermediate posts. Instead, however, of carrying the sheathing up under the side plate as in the modification shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10, thesheathing is terminated along a horizontal line slightly below the lower edge of the depending flange' 20 of the side plate, the upper edges of the metal sheathing being then secured to the side plate by a plurality of specially formed Z members 350, each extending between a pair of posts; each of said members 350 has an inner upwardly extending flange 35| riveted to the inner side of the depending ange 20 of the side plate, an intermediate and slightly downwardly and outwardly sloping web section and an outer depending flange 352 overlapping, conforming to the slope of and riveted to the upper edge of the sheathing, as clearly shown in Figure 3. To allow of attachment of the vertical edge of the sheathing to the door post E, the latter has secured to the web thereof an angle 340, the upper portion of which has its outer ilange 34| conformed to the slope of the sheathing and taper of the intermediate posts.

Inasmuch as the form of attachment of the sheathing to the side plate just described will result in'openings or gaps at each of the'intermediate posts,a special pressed or cast cap J is employed. Each said cap J has an upper flange 353 fitting against and riveted to the underside of the out-turned flange 2l of the side plate; vertically extending side flanges 354 riveted to the depending flange 20 of the side plate; an intermediate outwardly offset web section 355 between the flanges 354 as best shown in Figure 17 in order to clear the securing rivets of the upper Aends of the posts; an approximately cone shaped boss 356 conforming to the upper rounded end of the posts; and flanges 351 fitting over the Z member 350 and riveted to the depending flange 352 of the latter and the sheathing as by the rivets 458. In this manner, a completely weather-proof closure is provided between the sheathing, side plate and each intermediate side post.

At each door post, a corresponding cap K is employed as shown bestl in Figures 14, 15 and 18, the latter conforming and being riveted to the side plate, angle and web of the Z bar post E and to the corresponding end of the Z member 350 and sheathing.

In the modication of Figures 13 to 18, the door post E is outwardly offset from its original position as in the 'case of the previously described modifications but a somewhat different form of attachment is employed to accomplish this result. As shown in Figure 18, the inner flange 359 of the post E has secured thereto a vertically extending plate 360 having the central portion of the latter outwardly offset, as indicated at 36|, where said plate is riveted to the flange 359 so as to provide clearance for the inner heads of the rivets 362`which of necessity must be relatively short in order to be properly applied beneath the door hood hereinafter referred to. An angle clip 3|2 is also employed at the upper end of the door post on the inner side of the web and riveted to the latter and to the side plate, similar to the angle clip I2 of the first described form.

In order t0 eliminate the necessity of removing the usual door hood of box 4cars of the single sheathed type to accommodate the outward offsetting of the door posts, said hood 363 is cut off along the line indicated at 364 and has a supplemental hood member 365 of generally Z form riveted thereto, the supplemental hood member 365 having its outer depending flange 366 sunlciently outwardly disposed as to guide and retain the upper edge of the usual sliding door in the new plane occupied by the latter in the converted car.

Instead of employing a casting such as shown at 64 `in Figure 4 to seal the gaps occurring between the intermediate posts andbottom Z member 358, a simple fiat plate 361 may be employed,

notched to conform to the section of the intermediate post Where the latter passes through the coped opening of the member 358, said plates 361 being riveted to the underside of the member 358 as shown in Figures 13 and 16. At the corners of the car, the corner caps 368 will be suitably modified to conform to the different mode of attachment of the upper edge of the sheathing to the side plate, as shown in Figure 12.

From the preceding description, it will be seen that both constructions of Figures 8 to 11 and Figures 12 t0 18, possess the same advantages as those previously set forth in the rst described form of the invention and permit the reutilization of the sheet metal ends, underframe, side plates and posts.

Although what is now considered the preferred manner of carrying out the invention has herein been shown and described, the same is merely illustrative and all changes and modifications are contemplated that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A house car having a side door opening comprising: an underframe including a metal side sill; a side plate of angle cross section; metal door and intermediate side posts having their lower ends extended downwardly below the top of the side sill and attached to the latter; metal sheathing between each door post and corner of the car; means uniting the upper edge of the sheathing to the side plate; `and means connecting the lower edge of the sheathing with the side sill, said means comprising' a flanged bar extending continuously from the door post to the end of the car and disposed above the bottom ends of the posts, said flanged `bar being coped to receive the lower ends of the intermediate posts.

2. A house car having a metal side sill; a metal side plate; metal side posts secured at their top and bottom ends to the side plate and side sill, said posts being of maximum depth at their central portions and tapered inwardly toward their top and bottom ends; metal sheathing secured to the outer sides of said posts at said central portions and extending in a. vertical plane spaced outwardly of the upper and lower ends of the posts; means for attaching the upper edge of the 'sheathing to the side plate in spaced relation to the upper ends of the posts; and means extending between and connecting the lower edge of the sheathing and side sill.

3. A single metal sheathed house car comprising: a metal side plate; a metal side sill; intermediate side posts directly secured to said plate 'and sill; a door post of Z cross section outwardly spaced from the side plate and sill; llller and attaching plates riveted to the door post, sill and side plate for securing the post in said spaced relation; metal sheathing secured to the outer sides of said intermediate posts and to the door post.

4. A house car including: a metal side sill; side posts secured at their lower ends to said sill, said posts being tapered inwardly and downwardly at their lower ends; metal sheathing secured to the outer sides of said posts and extending downwardly in spaced relation to vthe lower tapered ends thereof; a flanged member extending between and secured to the lower edge of thesheathing and the side sill and coped to accommodate the lower ends of the side posts; and means fitting the posts at those points where passed through said member, said means being secured to the member and closing the cope ope'nmgs.

5. A house car including: a metal side sill; a side plate having a depending inner flange and an upper outwardly extending iiange; metal side posts secured at their lower ends to the side sill, the upper portions of said side posts tapering upwardly and inwardly and having their upper ends secured to the depending flange of the side plate; metal sheathing on the outer side of said posts and secured thereto below said upper tapered portions, to sheathing being extended vertically upward in spaced relation to the upper portions of the posts; and side plate hood attaching means extending between and secured to the upper edge of the sheathing and said outwardly extending ilange of the side plate.

6. A single sheathed house car including: a metal side sill; a metal side plate having a depending flange and an outwardly extending upper ilange; metal side posts attached at their lower ends to the side sill, the upper portions of said posts tapering upwardly and inwardly and having their upper ends secured to said depending flange of the side plate; metal sheathing secured to the outer sides of said posts and having the upper portion thereof inclined inwardly and upwardly to conform to and secured to the upper tapered portions of the posts; and hood attaching means extending between and secured vto the upper edge of said sheathing and the outwardly projecting flange of the side plate.

7. A single sheathed house car comprising: a channel side sill; a side plate having an inner depending ange and an upper outwardly extending ilange; metal posts of substantially U-section attached at their lower ends to the side sill, the upper portions of said posts tapering inwardly and having the upper ends thereof. secured to the depending ilange of the side plate; metal sheathing on the outer sides of said posts; means for attaching the sheathing to the posts; and a hood attaching means extending along and secured to the upper edge of the sheathing and to the underside of said outwardly extending flange of the -side plate.

8. A single sheathed house car including: a channel side sill; an angle section side plate with the inner ange depending and the upper flange extending outwardly; a Z-bar door post outwardly offset from the side sill and rigidly secured to the latter and to the depending flange of the side plate; intermediate metal side posts secured at their upper and lower ends to the side plate and sill;l hood attaching means extending along and secured to the upper edge of the sheathing and to the underside of said outwardly extending flange of the side plate; and a vertically extending angle connecting the vertical edge of the sheathing adjacent the door post to the web of the latter.

9. A single sheathed house car including: a channel side sill; an angle 'side plate; a Z-bar door post; substantially U section intermediate side posts all of said posts being attached to the sill and side plate; metal sheathing disposed on the outer side of said posts; means attaching said sheathing to said posts; and hood attaching means extending along and secured to the upper edge of said sheathing, said hood attaching means being extended inwardly beneath the upper flange of the side plate and riveted to the underside thereof.

10. A house car including: a metal side sill;

4 a side plate having a depending inner flange and an upper outwardly extending ange; intermediate metal side posts of substantially U cross section secured at their upper and lower ends to the side plate and sill; metal sheathing on the outer sides of said posts, said sheathing comprising a plurality of panels with lap joints opposite the intermediate posts, said lap joints being riveted to the crests of said posts; means extending along the upper edge of the sheathing secured thereto and to the outwardly extending liange of the side plate; and means extending along and secured to the bottom edge of the sheathing and to the side sill.

11. A single sheathed house car including: a channel side sill; a side plate of angular ycross section with one flange depending and the other extending outwardly; a Z bar door post outwardly oiset from the side sill and depending ilange of the side plate; means attaching said post to the side plate and sill; intermediate side posts of approximately U cross section and of maximum depth at their central portions, said posts tapering upwardly and downwardly and attached at their upper and lower ends to the side plate and side sill; metal sheathing disposed on the outer sides of said intermediate posts; means for attaching the adjacent vertical edge of the sheathing to the web of the door post; means for attaching the sheathing to the side posts; a Z-bar arranged with its web horizontal and its outer ange extending upwardly, the latter being riveted to the lower edge of the sheathing and having its inner flange riveted to the side sill, said Z-bar being coped to accommodate the lower tapered ends of the intermediate posts; means conformed to the cross section of the posts where the latter pass through the Z-bar and secured to the latter; and side plate hood attaching means extending along and secured to the underside of said outwardly extending flange of the side plate, said means having a depending flange overlapping and riveted to the' upper edge of the sheathing.

12. A converted house car including: a metal underframe including cross bearers and side sills, metal cai-lines, metal side plates and sheet metal ends, the lengths of said cross bearers and carlines, the width of the sheetmetal ends and the 'location of the side sills and side plates with reference to the longitudinal center line of the car corresponding to those of a standard steel underframe, single wood sheathed box car; metal door posts and intermediate side posts secured at their upper and lower ends to the side plates and side sills respectively; sheet metal side wall sheathing secured to the outer faces of said posts; longitudinally extending metal members connecting the upper longitudinal edges of said sheathing to the side plates; longitudinally extending metal members secured to and connecting the bottom edges of said sheathing and side sills; and metallic means uniting the vertical end edges of said sheathing and the respective adjacent vertical edges of the end walls.

13. A single sheathed house car including: a

metal side sill; a metal side plate; metal sideposts, the upper portions of said posts tapering upwardly and inwardly and having their upper ends secured to said side plate; metal sheathing secured to the outer sides of said posts and having the upper portions thereof inclined inwardly and upwardly to conform to and secured to said upper tapered portions of the posts, the upper edgeof said sheathing terminating below the tops of the tapered portions ot the posts; means extending between the posts and secured to the corresponding upper edge portions of the sheathing and the side plate; and means at each of the posts at the tops thereof uniting the posts,

sheathing, side plate and rst named means and Weather sealing the joints therebetween.

14. A single sheathed house car including: a metal side sill; a metal side plate; metal side posts, the upper portions of said posts tapering upwardly and inwardiy and having their upper ends secured to said side plate; metal sheathing secured to the outer sides of said posts and having the upper portions thereof inclined inweather sealing the joints therebetween, said 10 sealing means comprising caps riveted to the respective adjacent parts.

FRANK DITCHFIELD. 

